Özcan Özyurt

Design and development of an innovative individualized adaptive and intelligent e-learning system for teaching-learning of probability unit: Details of UZWEBMAT

In this study, an innovative adaptive and intelligent web based e-learning system, UZWEBMAT (Turkish abbreviation of Adaptive and INtelligent WEB based MAThematics teaching-learning system) was designed, developed and implemented. This e-learning system was intended for learning and teaching secondary school level permutation-combination-binomial expansion and probability subjects. Content which was prepared according to Turkish curriculum for secondary school mathematics course was transformed into learning objects in three different ways in accordance with VAK (Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic) learning styles. Primary/secondary/tertiary learning styles of learners registering the system are determined and each learner receives the content appropriate for his/her dominant learning style. Also, they can be directed to contents of other styles according to their performances thanks to an expert system. Learning objects constituting the content were prepared according to constructivist approach. An active role for the learner was the purpose. Tips and intelligent solution supports within the learning objects were presented with expert system support to the learners. With this structure, UZWEBMAT bears the characteristics of intelligent tutoring system as well as an adaptive e-learning environment. All the movements of learners studying with UZWEBMAT are recorded and the necessary information is reported to both learners and teachers in a visualized way.

Learning style based individualized adaptive e-learning environments

As for this study, it concentrates on learning styles based AEHs.69 articles published from 2005 to 2014 were reached.These studies were put subjected to document analysis.This study seeks the existing tendencies and gaps in literature. The studies on creating learning environments based on differences in learning styles have gained importance in recent years. Learning styles are one of the most important parameters in determining individual differences. Accordingly, traditional web-based learning environments have been replaced by individualized adaptive e-learning environments on the basis of learning styles which are more innovative. This study deals with the content analysis of the recent studies on Adaptive Educational Hypermedia (AEH) based on learning styles. 69 articles published from 2005 to 2014 were obtained through a comprehensive and detailed review. Afterwards, these studies were subjected to document analysis. The studies were categorized under the titles of purpose, nature, method, characteristics of examinees, level, data collection tool, learner modelling, learning styles, subject, and findings. Some of the studies offered a framework or proposed a model for AEH while others focused on the influence of AEH on academic achievement and learning outputs as well as learning satisfaction. This study examines the existing tendencies and gaps in the literature and discusses the potential research topics.

Chat mining: Automatically determination of chat conversations' topic in Turkish text based chat mediums

Mostly, the conversations taking place in chat mediums bear important information concerning the speakers. This information can vary in many fields such as tendencies, habits, attitudes, guilt situations, and intentions of the speakers. Therefore, analysis and processing of these conversations are of much importance. Many social and semantic inferences can be made from these conversations. In determining characteristics of conversations and analysis of conversations, subject designation can be grounded on. In this study, chat mining is chosen as an application of text mining, and a study concerning determination of subject in the Turkish text based chat conversations is conducted. In sorting the conversations, supervised learning methods are used in this study. As for classifiers, Naive Bayes, k-Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machine are used. Ninety-one percent success is achieved in determination of subject.

The effects of UZWEBMAT on the probability unit achievement of Turkish eleventh grade students and the reasons for such effects

Abstract This study aimed at determining the effects of UZWEBMAT (Turkish abbreviation of Adaptive and INtelligent WEB based MAThematics teaching–learning system) on the probability unit academic achievement of students and the underlying reasons for these effects. The study was conducted in an Anatolian High School located in a district of Trabzon province, Turkey in the fall semester of the academic year 2011–2012. The research sample consisted of 106 eleventh grade students and 2 mathematics teachers. Semi-experimental method was used in the study. Pre-Probability Unit Achievement Test (pre-PUAT), Post-Probability Unit Achievement Test (post-PUAT), Scale for Evaluation of the UZWEBMAT by Students (SEUS), Student Interview Form (SIF), and Teacher Interview Form (TIF) were used for collecting data. Research results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group (EG) students between the academic achievement of the EG students and that of the control group (CG) students. In addition, male EG students were found to be more successful than female EG students. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between the learning styles and the academic achievements of the EG students with different learning styles (visual–auditory–kinesthetic). In addition, no statistically significant relationship was detected between the genders and the academic achievements of the EG students having different learning styles. It was concluded that the higher achievement of the EG students resulted from the fact that they received education in accordance with their learning styles via UZWEBMAT, the learning objects included in UZWEBMAT had appropriate structural characteristics, students enjoyed learning in that environment, and students had continuous interest in the lesson.

Integrating computerized adaptive testing into UZWEBMAT

Highlights? Assessment is an important part of learning process. ? Adaptive assessment provides an individualized assessment environment for learners. ? UZWEBMAT was developed for teaching probability unit from 11th grade students. ? Adaptive assessment module was added to UZWEBMAT system. ? Individual assessment may be more efficient for learners. This study deals with the design and development process of computerized adaptive testing module integrated into UZWEBMAT. UZWEBMAT is an expert system supported adaptive and intelligent individualized e-learning environment. It was devoted to teach probability subject. A question bank was created in the study in the first place. This question bank was administered to learners in the form of work sheets. These tests were analyzed according to Item Response Theory. Model-data adaptivity was tested at the end of the analyses. It was deduced that data can be adapted to 3PL. Items non-compliant with 3PL were extracted from the question bank. At the end of these operations, final question bank containing 752 questions in total was obtained. Learners taught with UZWEBMAT took end-of-subject tests for permutation, combination, binomial expansion and probability containing 20, 20, 15 and 20 questions respectively. Besides, learners completing all subjects took end-of unit test containing 30 questions. Items in these tests were dynamically selected from the question bank pursuant to adaptive assessment. While test was dynamically being formed, the question providing the furthest information regarding current estimated ability level of examinee was determined and it was presented to next examinee. Ability level of the examinee was re-estimated and updated according to the answer of each question. Thanks to this module, learners individually taught with UZWEBMAT are provided with adaptive assessment in accordance with their own qualifications and capacities. In contrast to classical tests, individual assessment becomes a reality through adaptive assessment which provides the opportunity to know learners according to their ability levels.

A comparison of textual data mining methods for sex identification in chat conversations

Mining textual data in chat mediums is becoming more important because these mediums contain a vast amount of information, which is potentially relevant to a societys current interests, habits, social behaviors, crime tendency and other tendencies. Here, sex identification is taken as a base study in information mining in chat mediums. In order to do this, a simple discrimination function and semantic analysis method are proposed for sex identification in Turkish chat mediums. Then, the proposed sex identification method is compared with the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Naive Bayes (NB) methods. Finally, results show that the proposed system has achieved accuracy over 90% in sex identification.

Mining chat conversations for sex identification

Chat mediums are becoming an important part of human life in societies and provide quite useful information about people such as their current interests, habits, social behaviors and tendencies. In this study, we have presented an identification system to identify the sex of a person in a Turkish chat medium. Here, the sex identification is taken as a base study in the information mining in chat mediums. This system acquires data from a chat medium, and then automatically detects the chatters sex from the information exchanged between chatters and compares them with the known identities of the chatters. To do this task, a simple discrimination function is used to determine the sex of the chatters. A semantic analysis method is also proposed to enhance the performance of the system. The system with the semantic analyzer has achieved accuracy over 90% in the sex identification in the real chat medium.

Using Facebook to enhance learning experiences of students in computer programming at Introduction to Programming and Algorithm course

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of using Facebook on enriching the learning experiences of students in programming learning. In another word, the aim of the study is to detect the reflections from the environment of programming learning where Facebook is used. The study was carried out within the scope of the Introduction to Programming and Algorithm course taught in the software engineering department of the technology faculty of a university in Turkey. Initially, a Facebook group was created to enrich classroom teaching. Sixty‐three freshman engineering students taking the course and the faculty members of the department joined the group. The study was conducted for one semester in the fall semester of the 2014–2015 academic year. The Educational Usage of Facebook Scale (EUFS) and semi‐structured interview form were used as data collection tools in the study. Quantitative data were descriptively analyzed while qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The results obtained in this study show that Facebook has positive effects such as providing a rich content in programming learning, increasing extracurricular communication, offering a cooperative and collaborative learning environment, increasing motivation, and bringing different perspectives as well as negative effects such as causing distraction, decreasing face‐to‐face communication, and bringing about problems about expressing oneself. As a result, it is possible to assert that Facebook can be efficiently used to support classroom teaching strategies and enrich learning experiences in programming learning.

A target oriented agent to collect specific information in a chat medium

Internet and chat mediums provide important and quite useful information about human life in different societies such as their current interests, habits, social behaviors and criminal tendency. In this study, we have presented an intelligent identification system that is designed to identify the sex of a person in a Turkish chat medium. To do this task, a target oriented chat agent is implemented. A simple discrimination function is proposed for sex identification. The system also uses a semantic analysis method to determine the sex of the chatters. Here, the sex identification is taken as an example in the information extraction in chat mediums. This proposed identification system employs the agent and acquires data from a chat medium, and then automatically detects the chatters sex from the information exchanged between the agent and chatter. The system has achieved accuracy about 90% in the sex identification in a real chat medium.

Analyzing the effects of adapted flipped classroom approach on computer programming success, attitude toward programming, and programming self-efficacy

This study analyzes the effects of the use of adapted flipped classroom approach on the programming success, attitudes, and self‐efficacy of the students in learning programming. The study was conducted in the 2016–2017 fall semester with freshman students in Introduction to Programming and Algorithm course in the Software Engineering Department of a university in Turkey. The sample of the study consists of 46 students taking this course for the first time. The quasi‐experimental research method was used in the study. One group pretest–posttest design was employed, and quantitative data were obtained from the students. The scale of attitude toward computer programming, computer programming self‐efficacy scale, computer programming success test, and practice control chart were used as data collection tools. The study results show that the use of this approach in programming learning has a positive effect on the students’ programming success and programming self‐efficacy while it does not affect their attitudes toward programming. Additionally, it is concluded that there is a highly positive relationship between the numbers of students’ fulfilling the programming tasks and their programming success. Another conclusion of the study is that there is a positive relationship at a medium level between the numbers of students’ fulfilling the programming tasks and programming self‐efficacy and their attitudes toward programming. Considering the study results as a whole, it is seen that flipped classroom approach can be adapted to teach programming.